Absorber for anesthetic gas machines



LE ROY G. FOX

ABSORBER FOR ANESTHETIC GAS MACHINES April 20, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 11, 1952 INVEN TOR. LE P04 6. FOX 50 1 M QTTJPA/EVS April 20, 1954 LE ROY G. FOX 2,675,885

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April 20, 1954 LE ROY G. FOX v ABSORBER FOR ANESTHETIC GAS MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 11, 1952 April 20, 1954 LE ROY G. FOX

ABSORBER FOR ANESTHETIC GAS MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 11, 1952 R W? m M we w W 3 W w a W4 1? fin E L a w x .ill. v. 5 B M 06 65 I 5 5 7 Q m. I a u 7w 7 WW 5 3 2 T H. M? MWWWIHII FF 6 M 1111 y ya a .0. M H

Patented Apr. 20, 1954 UNITED... STATES PATENT OFFICE ABSORBER FOR ANESTHETIC GAS r 1 a MACHINES Lenny G. i 03, Glendale, CaliL, assignor a) E a J ,Manufactur ing Company, Burbank, Calif., a

eorporatiofi of Qalifornia Application Augustin 1952, Serial No. 303,763

-My invention relates-to an absorber for an anesthetic machine used in theadministration of. gas; anesthesia tdpatients .inhospitals; 1

An anesthetic machine is usually used which administers gas anesthesia through a closed-mask 5 system to the patients lungs. The purpose of my invention is to place an absorber in thesystem between the anesthetic machine and the mask to absorb the CO2 from the exhalations oi the patient. the system from th gas anesthetic machine to the patients lungs is a closed circuit, the exhalations arecontained in this-line and it is often desirable to remove some or all of the CO2 exhaled by the-patient. Prior to my invention a, canister; containing soda lime was placed inthe, gas circulation so as to absorb the CO2. When thesoda limehad be: come saturated with-COzit would b necessary either to stop the anesthesia to -put in a new canister or to dilute the gas mixture withgair while a new canisterofsodalimewas being placed inthe line.. By the useyof my;absorber a plu rality of canisters. is alwaysavailable to be used either individually or in combination to rernoye the CO2 from the anesthetic gas without at any, time stoppin the administration or the anesthesia to the patient or without any danger oi airgetting in and diluting theanesthetic gasp-L l By the use of my machine it alsois possible to vary the amount of absorption of Cozfso, to leave some of it in the anesthetic gasl 9.1

v My present inventionconsists of an improve ment on the invention described in my copend ing application Serial No. 149,802, filed March 15, 195 0.now Patent No. 2,61 1561, issued'lOctob'er 1.1 2 i Other objects and advantagesof 'rnyinventiop. will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereoif In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a planview o-f my inventionJ- f;

Figure 2 isasection takenon the line 2-2 of Figure 1. 1 .5

Figure 3 is a section taken on the'line 3-3 of Fi ur 2-- VI 1, 45

Figure 4' is a sectiontaken onthe lined-g4 of Figure y m. y Y

Figure 5 is a partial section taken on the line 55 of Figurel. v V g v Figure 6 is a partial section taken through one of the canister seal plugs, showing it in the locked position; I

I Figure 7 is a partial section, similarto Figure 6 but showing the plug in a removable position.

Figure 8 is an inside view of one of .theele ments of the sealing plug.

21 Claims. (01. 1s3-4.o)

Figure 9 is a top plan view of an element of the sealing plug. 1 Figure 10 is a bottom plan of the valve-actuating cam.

Figure 11 is a front view of the cam of Figure 10.

An absorber constructed in accordance with my invention has ahead I and a base 2 forming the end-s of a cylindrical shell 3. The flange 4 has abore 5 therein to support my absorber on a column 6 of an anaesthetic machine (not shown). My absorber is held in position on the column 6 by a set screw 1. V

A plurality of cylindrical bores 8, 9. and I0 are formed in the head I directly opposite similar bores ll, I2 and I3 inthe base 2. Between each corresponding bore in the head and base is positioned a canister-receiving tube I4. These tubes are force fitted in their respective bores and are airtight in the bores. Each of the bores 8, 9 and I0 is run completely through the head and is closed by a. sealing plug, to be hereinafter described. Positioned in each of the tubes 14 is a .removable'canister I5 containing soda lime or other COaabsorbing material. These canisters 15 are removable through the head by merely pulling them out.

.A sealing means 16 is inserted in the head to plug and make an airtight seal so that no air can enter the canister from the outside. These sealing means Hi comprise a body member I! which has thereon an outwardly extending flange Hi to contact the outer surface of the head I, a tapered surface I9 extending into a vertical surface 20. A control handle 2| isafiixed to a shaft- 22 passing through the body member I! and hav-,

ing a flanged-plate 23 forced thereon.

Between the sides of the tube l4 and the vertical surface 20is placed arubber O-ring' Mend above that is acoiled spring 25. The lower end I ofthe shaft 22 is threaded as-at 26 and carries There is an upper extending cam 30 upon the flanged plate 23 and thesh'aft 22 carries thereon a cam rider 3|. As will be seen from Figures8 and 9, thecam 30 only extends over asmall area of the flanged plate 23. A pin -32 is .threaded into the body member H and fits in a hole 33 inthe flanged plate 23. to preventQrotation of the body member .H' in relationtothelfianged platen.

When a'sealing means 'lfiis insertedinganyone of the bores 8, 9 or I 0, it is held in a nonrotatable position by means of a pin 35 threaded into the body member I? and loosely fitting in a bore 35 in the head I.

The sealing means I5 can only be inserted in the bores 8, 9 or I8 when the cam rider 3I is in engagement with the cam 38. After insertion in the bores 8, '9 or t5, the sealing means I5 is sealed therein by rotation of the handle 2| so that the cam rider 3i is disengaged from the cam 35, which then allows the spring 28 to force the flanged plate 23 upwardly and by means of the tapered surface I9, expanding the O-ring 24 into the sockets 36, forming an airtight seal at the head of the bore.

As shown in Figure l, the handle 2! has pointers 37 to indicate whether or not the sealing means i6 is in a sealing position. When the pointer 31 is positioned at the remove position marked, the cam rider 3| is engaging the cam 36, forcing the flanged plate 23 downwardly, removing the tension on the O-ring 24 and allowing removal of the seal means Hi from the bore.

To indicate the length of time that a particular canister has been in use, any type of marking, such as the word fresh (39) and the minutes that the canister has been in use can be marked around the body member IT. The user of the anaesthetic machine can rotate the handle 2I in accordance with the length of time that the particular canister has been in use until he arrives at the word remove, when he should change the canister.

In the head I is a pair of bores 45 and 46, which are connected to the inhalation side and the exhalation side of the anaesthetic breathing mask (not shown). The exhaling bore has a nipple 5! forced therein which is connected to the rubber hose from the breathing anaesthetic mask, which carries away the exhalation of the patient. The core 48 permits the exhaled gas from the mask to enter a cup-shaped chamber 48 which is closed by a flutter valve plate 48 so that any attempted suction through the bore will cause the flutter valve plate 49 to seal the end of the cup-shaped chamber 49 while any pressure from the interior will cause the flutter valve plate 49 to rise and allow the pressure to escape into a chamber 59 in the head I.

The chamber 59 is sealed by a plug 5| threaded thereinto, which carries a guide 52 for the valve stem 53 of the flutter valve plate 49.

The chamber 59 has a port 5 to permit exhaled gases to enter a valve chamber 55 in the head I, closed by means of a screw plug 56. 'Radially extending from the central bore 55 are the passages 51, 58 and 59, connecting with the bores B, 9 and I0, respectively, so that exhaled gases can pass therethrough and then down through the canisters of soda lime and out through the passages 60, 6! and 62, connecting the bores ii, 52 and i3 with a valve chamber 63 where the gas either passes downwardly into the gas bag 64 or out through the passage 65, past a flutter valve 66 in the head I into the chamber 61, through the exhalation bore 45 and into the breathing mask (not shown). The chamber 6! is sealed by means of a screw plug 68, identical to the screw plug 5 I and has a guide for the valve stem of the flutter valve 88. A port 4| connects the chamber 6! with a source of fresh anaesthetic gas, indicated by the pipe 42. The flutter valve 66 prevents any reverse flow of gas or exhalation from the breathing mask through my absorber.

As it is not desirable to have all of the canisters at one time in the enclosed anaesthetic system and as it is often necessary to replace a canister I5 during the period of anaesthesia, I have provided means for selectively porting the exhaust gas through one or more of the canisters I5 at the same time so that one or more of the canisters I5 can be removed while at least one of the canisters I5 is still in the anaesthetic sys-- tem. Hollow bosses I0 are threaded into the head I. Threadedly connected to the bosses III are cylinders II which have holes I2 in their bottom ends through which are passed valve stems I3. Upon the valve stems I3 are collars I4 and plate valves I5. Between collars I4 and the bottom ends of the cylinders 1| are placed rubber O-rings I6. Springs I1 are positioned between the collars I4 and the plate valves I5, which force the plate valves I5 upwardly to close the valve ports I8 between the central bore 55 and the passages 51, 58 and 59, respectively.

A valve cam I9 is carried by a control shaft 39 journaled in the plug 56. An indicator knob 8| is mounted on the control shaft 89. The valve cam I9 can selectively contact and depress one or more of the valve stems I3, opening one or more of the valves I5 to port the gases from the valve chamber 55 to one or more of the canisters I5 while leaving at least one of the canisters closed off by its valve I5.

To prevent opening of the closed anaesthetic circuit to the atmosphere during the removal of any of the canisters while the machine is in operation, I provide the three valves 88 adapted to close off the bores I I, I2 and I3 from the valve chamber 63. These valves 88 are carried on valve stems 82 slidable in the cylinders 83 threaded to the bosses 84, which are threaded at 85 to the base 2. The springs 8! are positioned between the collars 86 and the bosses 85 to maintain the valves 88 in closed or sealing engagement. The valve stems 82 are positioned directly under the corresponding valve stems 73 so that when the cam I9 opens one of the valves I5, it similarly opens the valve 88 directly thereunder, thus permitting the passage of the gas through the corresponding canister I5 and out into the valve chamber 63, but any of the valves I5 which are closed will have their corresponding valve 88 closed, thus preventing any leakage into the enclosed gas cycle, and permitting the removal of the sealed-off canister I5.

I. claim:

1. In an absorber, a head and a base forming supports for a plurality of tubes, said head having an intake port and an outlet port, selective valves in said head to connect said intake port with one or more of said tubes, said base having an outlet from said tubes, selector valves in said base to connect said tubes to said outlet port, means for actuating said selector valves, removable plug, means carried by said head to permit opening said tubes, comprising: a body member, a control shaft, a flanged plate carried by said shaft, an O-ring positioned on said body above said flanged plate, a cam surface on said flanged plate, a cam rider on said shaft adapted to engage said cam surface and space said flanged plate from said body, and means for yieldably forcing said flanged plate against said body when said cam surface and cam rider are disengaged.

2. In an absorber. a head and a base forming supports for a plurality of tubes, said head having' an intake port and an outlet port, selective valves in said head to connect said intake port with one or more of said tubes, said base having an outlet from said tubes, selector valves in said base to connect said tubes to said outlet port, means for actuating said selector valves, flutter valves between said intake port and said first mentioned selector valves and between said outlet port and said second mentioned selector valves, removable plug means carried by said head to permit opening said tubes, comprising: a body member, a control shaft, a flanged plate carried by said shaft, an G-ring positioned on said body above said flanged plate, a cam surface on said flanged plate, a cam rider on said shaft adapted to engage said cam surface and space said flanged plate from said body, and means for yieldably forcing said flanged plate against said body when said cam surface and cam rider are disengaged.

References Cited in the file or this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 15 Number Name Date Cordrey Mar. 28, 1933 Hennessy r Dec. 5, 1939 Foregger July 25, 1944 Heidbrimk Sept. 28, 1948 Brown July 11, 1950 Rausenberger Aug. 14, 1951 Fox Oct. 21, 1952 Miller Nov. 11, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Jan. 27, 1929 

